Shymkent to grow into third Kazakh megacity

Shymkent, provincial capital of South Kazakhstan oblast, may become the third largest city in Kazakhstan, believes Kazakh president Nursultan Nazarbayev.

"Kazakhstan plans to develop two megacities - Astana and Almaty. Shymkent may be another big city along with a city in the west of the country," Kazakh leader wrote in Twitter during a work trip to South Kazakhstan.

According to the area development plan of Shymkent approved by government in 2012, the city territory will grow threefold in a few coming years and the population is projected to reach 1.5 million by 2015. IA Novosti Kazakhstan